Pirates of the Caribbean: Look to the North
by Sandra Athrenael
Summary: There's something about two compasses that irks their owners. What's the secret behind the Compass that doesn't point north? Is there still a curse? Pg for mild language and violence. COMPLETED
1. Default Chapter Island Bound

Pirates of the Caribbean: Look to the North  
  
Chapter 1-Island Bound  
  
Captain Rowena Maynard looked up from her compass and out to sea. Her nut-brown hair blew in front of her eyes messily as she tossed her head backwards. This was her ship, and she was captain. She liked the feeling of being in charge. Salty spray flew up from the water, stinging her eyes, but she paid no attention.  
  
Coming up in front of her was a narrow spit of land, covered in palm trees and sand around the edges. As she neared the island, she could make out a figure, standing on the beach and shrieking out into the distance. "We're coming t' an island," She yelled down to her crew below deck. "More like a god-forsaken beach." She muttered under her breath. Rowena pulled out her dagger from her navy-blue sash, just in case this wasn't a friendly islander.  
  
They drew nearer to the land, and Rowena saw that this figure was a man, most likely marooned there by an untrustworthy crew. "You!" She called out to him. He looked up. His face was weather beaten and tan, but she could hardly see it through his beard. "What be the reason for yer stay in. . ." She pulled out her map, but didn't see this island anywhere in the region. She climbed down of her boat when the crew lowered the anchor, and walked over to the sorry creature. "On 'is. . .island, if yeh can say that much 'bout it." The stranger laughed solemnly at the joke and faced Rowena.  
  
"Marooned, by me own crew." She recognized his voice form somewhere, but she couldn't quite place the familiarity. "The name's Rowena. . .Rowena Maynard." She didn't usually expose the fact that she was a woman to most people, but she felt that she knew this stranger, and what difference did it make anyway on an island that nobody knew about? "Rowan?" Said the man. "Yeh said yeh were a man, last time we met. Th' name's Sparrow, CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow." Ah, the pirate she had met in her stay in Singapore. "So now you spect me t' believe that you'ze a woman?"  
  
She noticed the drunken slur that always remained in his voice, since the day they met. Yes, this was Captain Jack Sparrow all right. "Aye. I don't like t' tell people much." She took off her hat, letting her long brown hair cascade off her shoulders. "Listen," He started again. "Since you're the on'y ship 'at came 'round these parts, would yeh mind if I boarded wi' you 'till we reach someplace more, lets say, populated?" "Nah," She replied roughly. "S'long as yeh don't get in th' way." Jack clapped his hands together and tipped them towards Rowena in a motion of thanks. He swaggered behind Rowena as she led him onto her ship, the Dark Jewel. He collapsed in his cabin, Rowena expected from rum and lack of sleep, so she just let him lie there until he woke.  
  
Mearl Roe, her first mate, came and stood next to her. "Rowan," He addressed her. "What did yeh drag in 'is time?" "'im." She gestured toward Jack. "Marooned on 'at island by 'is own crew. Says 'ees Captain Jack Sparrow." Mearl widened his eyes. "THE Captain Jack Sparrow?" She nodded. "Aye. Seen 'im afore. In Singapore. 'e was alone then too." She added wistfully. He looked so miserable without a ship. She knew how that felt. Months before she had been abandoned in Tortuga by her former crew. Not one of her favorite places, but she managed to scrape up a new crew there, so it all paid off in the end.  
  
"Jus' leave 'im there, Roe." She instructed him, seeing his curiosity. "He'll wake up soon 'nough." Mearl Roe sighed, but backed away from the door. That was probably the best idea anyway, because Jack often had fitful sleeps, resulting in bursts of song, or raging arguments between him and god knows who. "Roe, go see if th' rest o' th' crew wants t' go t' Tortuga. I 'ave a strong feelin' we'll be visitin' soon 'nough." Mearl Roe nodded and walked away.  
  
There she stood again, alone and staring off at something. But this time, it wasn't the open ocean. This time, it was the infamous Jack Sparrow, CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow, as he liked it. But without a crew, a ship, or a hat, he didn't really fit the title of Captain to well. Rowena sighed. He was legend. He was famous. He was aboard HER ship. The Dark Jewel had not been known for anything, until now. Now it would be known as the ship that saved Captain Jack Sparrow, legend of the seven seas. 


	2. Jack

Chapter 2-Jack  
  
Jack Sparrow awoke on the floor of some Cabin, the ground pitching and rolling beneath him. "Where the bloody hell am I?" He wondered aloud, positive there was no one who could answer. "Yer aboard the Dark Jewel." Jack turned around and saw a girl standing in the doorway of the cabin, smiling at him. "Captain Jack, I'm Captain Rowena, surely yeh remember me from yesterday, when we met?" "That's right," Jack said drunkenly. "We met in Singapore a while back, yes, it's you alright, but now you is a woman!" He swaggered over to her and put his arm around her waist.  
  
"And what a lovely woman too." She rolled her eyes and pushed him away. "You're much better 'an some o' those dames back in Tortuga, with them hands, like to slap up a storm, they do." He finished, looking at her with glazed eyes. "So yeh like Tortuga, then?" She asked, sure of the answer already. "Like Tortuga! O' course I like Tortuga! She's like me home! Surely yeh share my feelins." Angrily Rowena shook her head. "Firstly, I don't like whores, and I don't drink rum, Jack." Jack stared at her, as if she was speaking a different language. "Don't drink rum? What kinda person are yeh? Don't drink rum! We'll have to work on that one, love."  
  
She sighed. "Well, we be off to Tortuga now, so take what yeh can when yeh there, savvy?" "Savvy." Jack answered, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. She was a stubborn lass, and he respected that. But refusing to drink rum, well that was a whole different story. Jack swaggered out onto the deck and breathed in the fresh air. "Th' sea is my home." He whispered, catching Rowena's eye. "I've noticed." She mumbled smugly, and headed off towards the steer. Jack followed her.  
  
"She's lovely, the ship, I mean." "Rowena nodded, grasping the wheel. Jack grabbed hold of the riggings and swayed in his spot for a moment, before letting go and heading off in the other direction. "S'cuse me, love. Got to do somethin' 'bout this beard." Rowena stared after him. She recalled the legends of Jack Sparrow. He was said to be a charmer, the cream of the crop, but Rowena didn't see that in him. All she saw was a pirate. A lonely pirate with no home and no friends, except the ladies back in Tortuga, if you could call them friends.  
  
She once had a friend, Scarlet, her name was. They used to run down the beach in Tortuga, playing games. Rowena would be the pirate, and Scarlet would be the damsel in distress. Rowena would save her, and then they would pretend to go on fearless adventures together from then on. These memories brought a small smile to Captain Rowena Maynard's face. But as she thought about it more, it wasn't the games that irked her, it was real life. She had become a pirate by trade, and Scarlet married, had children, and then discovered the rest of Tortuga. She left her husband to become a whore. That's when the childhood friends lost contact between one another.  
  
Not a lovely history, Rowena reminded herself, but she chose to push this to the back of her mind. It was the past, after all, now what she needed to think about was her ship, her crew, and the welfare of them both. She adjusted her hat better on her head and took out her compass. It didn't point north. She didn't know why, but something about this compass haunted her. Like there was more to it than she knew about. Almost like a warning. But she was incomplete even still. She had to find out what that compass meant, if it meant anything at all.  
  
A half an hour passed, and Jack came back up to where Rowena was standing. His beard was mostly off, save two short braids hanging down, held on by some short stubble around his chin. "Do I look better, love?" He asked, holding his arms out wide. "Much." She answered roughly. Now she could see his whole face. It was tanned and weather-beaten, same as before, but now it glowed. Just a bit, but enough to be noticeable. "Yes, love?" Jack looked at her. She snapped back into focus. "Yeh were starin' so hard I thought somethin' was wrong with yer eyes." Rowena blushed a deep shade of red. "Don't be embarrassed, love. I get tha' all the time." He touched her cheek. She breathed shakily. No man had ever done that to her before. No man ever looked at her that way before, probably because none of them knew she was a woman, but still . . .  
  
"Stop blushin'. It's makin' me uncomfortable." He took his hand away and turned from her. What was she thinking? Jack Sparrow was known for his seductive display of emotion. He did this to all women, and that's why they were so drawn to him, because he made them believe that they were the only one he had eyes for. 'So that's his secret.' She thought to herself. Besides, pirates weren't supposed to fall in love. She sighed. "Somethin' wrong, love?" Jack turned at her sigh, a concerned look planted in his eyes. It looked so sincere. Rowena tried to snap herself out of it. "No, nothin'." She muttered, willing herself not to make eye contact with him again.  
  
"We're headed into Tortuga!" Mearl cried from below deck. "Wonderful." Jack said, pulling his compass. Rowena did the same. "Ruddy Compass," They said at the same time, "Doesn't point North." 


	3. Tortuga

Chapter 3-Tortuga  
  
Rowena and Jack simultaneously looked up at one another. "What did yeh say, love?" Jack asked her, a confused look taking over his usually smug expression. "I said. . ." She stammered. "That my compass doesn't point North." She looked down at it. Indeed, the little needle was broken. "Tha's what I said." Jack looked down at his own compass. He had had it for years now, he couldn't recall how many, but even when he got it it didn't work. "Did yours come that way, love?" He asked Rowena. She nodded.  
  
"Well, this is interesting." Jack said, thoroughly amused by the whole situation. "You're not one t' worry much, are yeh?" She quirked one eyebrow at him. "Nah, I'm th' laid back type, savvy?" She didn't answer. "So, whadya reckon we do 'bout these compasses?" Rowena shook her head. Suddenly a thought came to her. "Sally" She whispered. Jack looked from her to his compass. "Sally? Who the bloody hell is she?" Rowena kept mumbling. "She's one of those people. . .works with telepathy, contacts the dead, tells fortunes. . .stuff like that." Jack chuckled. "Sounds like Sally's lost it to me."  
  
Rowena brushed away his remark. "She can tell us about these, I'm sure she'll find an answer." Jack shrugged. "S'worth a try, love. Where is Sally anyway?" Rowena stared ahead into Tortuga, and Jack caught her gaze. "Ah, she resides in Tortuga. Even better."  
  
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Jack and Rowena entered sped through the streets of Tortuga, Jack stopping every once and a while to catch up on what he was missing. "Hurry up, we don't 'ave all year!" She rushed him as he peered in a bar window. "But love, I really want some rum. I'm achin' to try some of the good 'ol Tortuga classics again." She rolled her eyes. "Ok, but yeh can have on'y one bottle, savvy?" Jack turned to her, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Savvy." He answered a bit too sincere sounding. Rowena didn't trust him for a minute in the pub. She knew the stories. Jack Sparrow could chug down seven bottles in one sitting. One was never enough.  
  
Fifteen minutes later, Jack was swaggering all over the pub, singing and dancing drunkenly. Apparently he was still a crowd pleaser. This amazed Rowena. "How many bottles has it been Jack?" The pub owner yelled. "Four, but yeh can up that number any time yeh want, savvy?" The pub owner brought out two more bottles. Jack downed them quicker than anyone can down just one. "Ah," He said as Rowena pulled him out of the pub. "Jus' like afore I left. Still a hit wit' th' pub-goers." He mumbled. Suddenly a woman wearing a maroon colored dress ran up to Jack. "Marie!" He opened his arms to her, but instead of an embrace, he received a smack square across his face.  
  
"Ow," Muttered Jack. "I'm too drunk t' know whether or not I deserved that." He said when Marie walked away, satisfied with her damage. "Usually she comes back for round two." Jack mused. But Marie didn't return, so they kept walking. "Sally lives in here." Rowena said, pointing to a small shack with one window and a door. "Bit disheveled, isn't it?" Jack commented as she pulled him through the door. "Be nice." She said warningly. "I'll try love, depends on 'ow nice the woman is in return, savvy?" She nodded as if she cared and led him further into the hut.  
  
A short woman was sitting at a low table in the middle of the room they had just walked in. "Sally?" Rowena said loudly. Jack cringed, but the woman looked up from her crystal ball. "What? I said I don't have the rent yet Morgan, leave and don't come back!" She turned back to her work. Rowena turned to Jack, who tapped his forehead then pointed at the old woman. He raised his eyebrows and nodded. Rowena hit him lightly and said again, "Sally?" This time the old woman got up and walked over to them. She looked them both over.  
  
Jack eyed Rowena uncomfortably, the only people he allowed this close to him were women who were much younger and prettier. "You're pirates." The woman concluded bluntly as she walked back over to her chair. "Good guess." Jack muttered jokingly. Rowena glared at him. "Sally? We would like t' know if yeh can tell us anythin' 'bout these compasses." Rowena walked over to Sally, dragging Jack along with her. They both held out their compasses in front of Sally's nose, and she studied them. "Yes, I know what these are. They are compasses, but neither points north." Jack snorted, and all lasting hope in Rowena vanished.  
  
"Anythin' else?" She said encouragingly. Sally shook her head and shooed them away. She even threatened to call the navy. "Ooh, scary." Jack said sarcastically. "Well, that trip did us 'lot o' good, didn' it?" He laughed when he saw Rowena's face darken. "Shut up Jack." He said coldly. This put Jack out for a little while. They walked in silence for a few minutes until they both heard screams coming from an alley nearby. Rowena pulled out her dagger, and Jack his sword, and together they crept into the alleyway. 


	4. The Awakening

Chapter 4-The awakening  
  
At first all the two saw was darkness. When their eyes finally adjusted to the change of light, they saw 3 men, all circled around something. "Don' make a sound." Jack instructed her. She turned to him, her eyes wide in the dark space. He looked at her. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of green that sparkled even after daylight hours. Jack shook his head. No, he thought like that about every woman he met. But then why did he feel that there was something different about her that he couldn't place? He felt a connection to her, unlike he did with the women he met on the streets.  
  
'Jack, pull yerself together.' He willed himself, stepping warily next to Rowena. "When I count to three, I'm goin' t' throw yer dagger into tha' man right there's back, and then we can see what's in th' circle. Everythin' else form there we'll jus' make up." He laid out their plan to her. "I can throw the dagger meself, I mean, I didn't steal it for nothin' Jack." "Alrigh' but yeh on'y get one shot, so don' miss now." She shook her head. "I won't" She promised. Another scream sounded form inside the circle. "Sounds like a woman!" Jack said worriedly. Rowena rolled her eyes. "Let's jus' do this and get it over with."  
  
Soundlessly, Rowena unsheathed her dagger and swung her arm back a few times before making her move. The dagger soared noiselessly through the air, and planted itself in the man's back. He screamed in agony and dropped, revealing a woman beaten half to death, in the center of the circle. Rowena gasped. "Scarlet!" She yelled. She forgot to whisper. "Shhhh!" Jack shushed her loudly, but the other two men had already seen them. "Run!" Jack yelled to her. "No! I'll stay and help yeh fight! Besides, what 'bout Scarlet?" Jack looked nervously over his shoulder at an approaching man, sword unsheathed. "Scarlet can wait!" He yelled in reply, and took out his own sword, facing the man confidently.  
  
Rowena watched him fight. He was very good. She didn't think that sword fighting was her most talented area, but she wasn't bad at it. Unfortunately for her, her dagger was all she had, and at the moment it was dug into a man's back. She couldn't get to it, because she would have to run right through her enemy, who was standing over the dead body. The man leaned down and yanked the dagger out of the corpse's back, then turned to face Rowena again. She stared at him. She wasn't afraid of what he would do, because she was a pirate after all, and pirates didn't know fear.  
  
The man laughed. His laugh was sickening, and Rowena cringed. "What're yeh doin', luv?!" Jack called to her amidst the clanging of his sword and the stranger's. "At the moment?" She yelled back. "I'm without me weapon, and cornered by another one o' those. . .men!" Jack rolled his eyes. "Tha's not what I meant, luv." He called back. "I meant why aren't yeh doing somethin'. . .anythin'?" "The name's Ragetti, LUV. Marlin Ragetti." Rowena looked from Ragetti to Jack. "Says 'is name is Marlin Ragetti!" She yelled. She saw Jack raise his eyebrows. He turned to her, still warding off his opponent. "Ask 'im if 'ees got any brothers!" Rowena turned to Ragetti. "Aye." He said gruffly. "One." "Aye!" She yelled to Jack. "That's. . .interesting. . . ." Jack said between blows.  
  
Suddenly Rowena heard a choking noise from where Jack was standing, and saw his opponent fall to the ground in a crumpled heap. Jack ran over to Rowena. "Don' help me!" She growled. "I can take care of meself! Get Scarlet and go, I'll meet up with yeh soon 'nough!" Jack was leery with the idea, but threw Rowena his sword and bent down to pick up the now unconscious Scarlet. "Don' let nothin' happen to 'at sword, Rowan. I treasure it like me life." She nodded, now ready to face her attacker. Ragetti pocketed her dagger and pulled out his own sword. He walked closer to her. "Ready to die, luv?" He asked her, a sickening grin spreading across his face.  
  
'Not scared. . .not scared. . .' Rowena preached to herself. But truth be told, she was scared out of her mind. Never before had she faced someone this big, this muscular, this evil. Ragetti laughed and said, "Yeh can't beat me, I won't die." She stared. "What was that?" She raised her eyebrows at him. "I said, I can't die. You will never be able to win. And now I ask yeh again. Are yeh ready to die?" 


	5. Scarlet

Chapter 5-Scarlet  
  
Jack ran through the streets in Tortuga, searching for an Inn or even a hut of some sort to take Scarlet. He looked down at the body in his arms and noticed that she was scarcely breathing. He had to act fast, get some air into her lungs. The only way he knew of was unpleasant, but Scarlet was pretty, so it hardly mattered. He ducked into another alley and laid Scarlet down on the ground. Scarlet had dark, curly hair lay over her face when he put her down. She had a slim body, a nice face, and small, thin lips. "Alright, let's get this over with." Jack said aloud to nobody.  
  
He leaned in closer to her and pried open her mouth. Her breath wasn't that bad either for a half dead person. Still he leaned closer, until their lips almost touched. At that moment, Scarlet opened her eyes. They widened to two huge circles almost instantly, and before Jack had time to move away, she slapped him hard across the cheek. "What're you trying to do to me, you filthy bastard!" She accused. Jack widened his eyes at her and raised his eyebrows. "Calm down, luv. I was only trying to give you some mouth-to-mouth." As soon as those words escaped his lips, he regretted saying them. "Look, luv. That's not what I meant, savvy? What I meant was. . .well, you were half dead, savvy? So I was jus' gonna give yeh a little air, maybe you would start breathing normal again."  
  
She gave him a look of pure disbelief. "Look, if yeh don't believe me, yeh can ask Rowena. She saw the whole thing, well, not this part. But she knew and saw yeh lying there half dead too, luv." Scarlet slapped him again. "What was that for, luv?! I'm bein' honest, I promise!" She scoffed. "A promise from a pirate is like a promise from the devil." She muttered. "Aye, but the devil don't keep promises, now do he?" Jack smiled at her. "My point exactly." She said in his face. Suddenly her expression changed. "Hold on. Did you say Rowena?" Jack nodded. "Rowena Maynard?" He nodded again. "Ah," He said knowingly. "You know Rowena?" Scarlet gave him a what-do-you- think kind of look and closed her eyes.  
  
"Now, we've got to find someplace for you to stay, savvy?" He looked at Scarlet. "Savvy?" He asked a bit louder. She didn't open her eyes. At first he thought she was dead, but he felt a pulse when he checked her wrist, so he picked her up and resumed carrying her. He found an Inn down the road, run by a man who lived in the basement of the building. He let Jack and Scarlet inside, and gave them a room, together, much to Jack's dislike. He laid her down on the bed, then crept out of the room. "Jack Sparrow is coming, luv. Hang on." He muttered, pulling out his pistol.  
  
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Ragetti lunged at Rowena, but she darted out of the way. "You must think you're so clever." Ragetti teased her mercilessly as they circled each other. "Well, I'd say I'm far more clever than SOME pirates I know." She said, clearly hinting about Ragetti. He snarled at her. "It's a mistake to mock the undead." He warned. Rowena raised her eyebrows at him. "Is that so?" She muttered under her breath. They kept circling around each other. Ragetti brushed her shoulder with his sword. She dropped her own sword in pain and staggered out of the way.  
  
Suddenly she felt a comforting arm clamp onto her shoulder. She turned around quickly, and saw Jack standing behind her, a glint in his eye. "One o' the main rules in sword fightin' is never drop yer sword." He said, picking it up for her and lunging at Ragetti. "Scarlet is in the Bay Inn, off the next street. I'll meet yeh there!" Rowena glared at him again. "I told yeh I could take care of meself." Jack grinned. "Well, yeh weren't doin' a very good job of it, luv." "Let me handle 'im, you go on." But Rowena refused to go. "Fine, suit yerself." Jack muttered to her, and started fighting Ragetti again.  
  
She stood in awe of Jack's fighting skills, until Ragetti threatened her too, and she had to duck his blows along with Jack. "Why. . .wont. . .yeh. . .go?" Jack yelled to her between fighting Ragetti. "Cuz I'm not helpless!" She yelled back, fully aware of the danger she was putting herself in. Suddenly Jack stabbed Ragetti in the chest, sending him staggering backwards toward the end of the alley. But Ragetti didn't die. Rowena gasped. "So he was tellin' the truth!" She whispered. A ray of moonlight fell on Ragetti, and Rowena and Jack both stared open mouthed as they saw Ragetti's flesh disintegrate, leaving nothing but a skeleton standing in front of them.  
  
"It's back!" Jack mouthed to Rowena, who stared bewilderedly at him. "The curse. . .but we returned the last piece already!" Ragetti pulled the sword out of his chest and smiled. "Aye, but that doesn't make the greed disappear, now does it?" Jack just stared. "So that's why Gibbs and the crew left me on 'at island." Jack muttered to himself. "No," Ragetti said, as if he read Jack's mind.  
  
"YER crew didn't abandon yeh, MATEY." Jack stared, puzzled. "At least, not while they were livin'" 


	6. Answers Among Confusion

Chapter 6-Answers among confusion  
  
"What do yeh mean, not while they were livin'" Jack said, not as sure of himself now. "I meant exactly what I said, CAPTAIN Sparrow. They weren't livin' when they did that to yeh, oh no. Did yeh really think yer own friends would do that to yeh? No, I thought not. They were possessed by greed. Unlike their normal selves. Let's just say it was a change in th' wind, savvy?" Jack frowned. "Ah, not catchin' on as quick as I'd have hoped. Oh well, you'll see what I'm sayin' to yeh soon 'nough." Ragetti pulled out Rowena's dagger from his belt.  
  
"Now, yeh'll do as I say and no one gets hurt. . .yet." Rowena looked at Jack, who gave her a somewhat comforting look as they followed Ragetti down the road. Ragetti made them walk in front of him for the rest of the journey, poking the dagger lightly into each of their backs in turn. Rowena clutched her arm, which was bleeding heavily. Jack grimaced at her, then looked forwards when Ragetti poked him a bit harder with the dagger to keep him walking.  
  
"Yer crew resides in Isla de Muerta. I think we'll pay 'em a visit." Ragetti whispered to Jack hatefully. "If they want to see yeh, that is." Jack turned around just enough to see Ragetti's eyes give off an evil glint.  
  
Ragetti led them onto rowboat large enough to fit fifteen people. He placed Jack next to him, and Rowena across from them both. "Yeh know, why don't yeh tell me what's goin' on with me crew, and we'll strike up a bargain. What be yer side. I'll do most of anythin' if yeh tell me." Jack tried to reason with Ragetti. "Shut up, fool." Ragetti snarled, and knocked Jack out with the side of his pistol. Rowena drew in a sharp breath. Now she was alone on a rowboat with an immortal man, who at the moment wasn't very happy.  
  
Now Jack wasn't awake to comfort her. She felt a chill creep up her spine, and when she looked up, she saw Ragetti's face two inches from hers. "Welcome aboard, CAPTAIN Rowena." He helped her up onto the deck and threw her down at his feet. "Yeh'll do exactly what I tell yeh to, got it?" She nodded fearfully. "Now, off to Isla de Muerta. Take yer friend, Mr. Sparrow up on deck and tell me when he wakes." He shoved Rowena to the ground again, and she got up as soon as she walked away. 'How did he know my name?' She wondered to herself, dragging Jack up next to her on deck. She collapsed onto him when he was fully aboard and didn't move.  
  
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Jack opened his eyes and saw gray sky above him. His head throbbed painfully, and there was something lying on him. He lifted his head. Gods, how it hurt. He saw Rowena resting her head on his stomach and smiled. She was sprawled out next to him, save her head, and was breathing heavily. His grin disappeared when he observed his surroundings. 'Where the bloody hell am I?' He thought to himself. "Yer on the Bloody Mary, CAPTAIN Sparrow." Ragetti's rough voice sounded form behind him. He turned around. Ragetti was standing over him, glaring down at Jacks head.  
  
'He read my thoughts!" Jack repeated to himself. "Aye." Ragetti said, turning from Jack. "It comes in useful sometimes." And he walked back to the wheel.  
  
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Rowena stirred. She opened her eyes and saw Jack staring behind him, eyes wide. "Jack?" She said groggily. Jack turned quickly at the sound and clutched his head. 'Not smart.' He reminded himself. Rowena rubbed the sleep from her eyes and looked around. "This is Ragetti's ship." She said. "Aye." Answered jack, his voice low. "And Rowan? Try not t' think anythin' too important, savvy? Ragetti has a knack for reading minds." Rowena widened her eyes, and heard Ragetti shout from his place, "That I do Jack, that I do." Jack raised his eyebrows.  
  
"Savvy." She whispered. It wasn't a pleasant thought, knowing that Ragetti could hear every word she spoke, and every thought that crossed her mind. Even this one. "Don't worry, luv. I only listen when I want to." Rowena jumped at Ragetti's voice. "What's wrong luv?" Jack asked her. "Didn't yeh hear what Ragetti just said?" She looked up at him, he looked worried. "He didn't say anythin', luv." Then Ragetti's voice erupted in her head again. "Oh, he can't hear me luv. It's just you and me." Rowena screamed. Ragetti was talking inside her head. Suddenly her mind clouded over, and she blacked out, falling into Jack Sparrow's open arms. 


	7. Isla de Muerta

Chapter 7-Isla de Muerta  
  
Jack leaned backwards as Rowena fell into his arms. She had been acting very strange since she woke up, so he just let her lie there, positive she wasn't dead. She had screamed an ear-shattering scream before passing out, and claimed to have heard Ragetti talk to her. Very strange indeed. Jack found this all very interesting, to tell the truth. His crew, possessed by god knows what evil forces, the stupid Ragetti wooden eye having a brother with a brain and a knack for reading minds, and Captain Rowena, especially her compass. His compass too.  
  
Normally you didn't see too many decent pirate captains that were women. And if you did find one, they didn't hide in a hat or behind a fake name. They were proud. A bit too proud, Jack thought. They were all full of themselves. But not her. Not the fearless Captain Rowena Maynard. She wanted to fight out her life on the edge just between life and death. Jack admired this trait. He loved to do just the same. Why not stay and fight it out, even if it put you in danger?  
  
He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close. Whatever was wrong with her would pass, hopefully, and she would go on being the fearless thing that she always was. "Don't count on it, Jack." Ragetti said from behind him. Jack turned his head enough to see Ragetti's looming figure by the wheel, hunched over himself, as if to ward off the cold. But it wasn't cold, nor could Ragetti feel a thing. He was a victim of the curse, and they couldn't feel anything. Not sea spray, not sun, wind, or rain. Jack pitied Ragetti for some reason. Not even being able to feel the spray as it flew up from the waves.  
  
But he didn't pity him enough to stop hating him. For doing something to his crew, his ship, and Rowena. He knew in his gut that Ragetti was behind all of what he told Jack about. How else would he know so much? Or did he just decide to have some fun and read Gibbs' mind, or maybe even Annamaria's? 'Stop it.' Jack willed himself, regretting it because Ragetti was probably listening to everything he thought. "My, my, my. Finally brightening up and catching on to what old Marlin Ragetti said to yeh? Aye, is that the case mate?" Ragetti stood over Jack, laughing evilly into the distance. Jack scowled. "We'll be headin' into Isla de Muerta by sundown. Are yeh ready, MATEY?" Ragetti laughed again and truned from Jack.  
  
He decided to have some fun with his gift of telepathy. Driving the girl insane wasn't enough. Maybe he'd drive Jack mad, as a bonus, or simply because he could. 'Don't let him get to yeh.' Jack told himself as Ragetti walked away. "No, Jack. Don't. It won't take long 'till yeh lose it like the rest of 'em." Jack jumped. Ragetti's voice sounded like it came from inside his head! But, why would Ragetti talk to him in his thoughts? "Did yeh say something?" Jack asked, sure that this was a stupid question.  
  
"No, not a word. And by the way Jack, that wasn't a stupid question."  
  
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The Bloody Mary pulled into the dreaded docks of Isla de Muerta soundlessly, and alone. It was the dead of night, and not a creature stirred on the banks of this feared beach. Jack was still awake, thinking, not caring if Ragetti heard, about what Ragetti had done. Spoken to him, in his thoughts. About what Ragetti had said in Jack's mind, and about his compass. Rowena was still in his arms, but now she stirred, muttering uncomfortably as she woke. "Jack!" She said, sitting upright. "He. . .he talked to me! In my head, he said that he listens when he wants to! He. . ." Jack put his hand up to her mouth and shushed her. He saw the banks of Isla de Muerta approaching and widened his eyes. For once, everything was silent on the island.  
  
"Jack, where are we?" She whispered. "We're on the dreaded island: Isla de Muerta, luv." "Isla de Muerta? To yer crew?" "Aye." Jack answered her. "I have t' find out wha' Ragetti meant by the livin' dead an' all tha'" She nodded. "I know what yeh mean, Jack. Sounds excitin'" She encouraged him. "Are yeh scared, luv?" He asked her. She considered lying to him, saying that she was brave and fearless, but she couldn't. The sincere look in his eyes softened her into telling him the truth. "Yes, I'm dead scared, Jack. Ragetti's trying to take over my mind, yer crew is completely insane, the lot of them, and I'm stuck on an island called the "Isle of the Dead". That doesn't sound so promising, to say the least."  
  
"No, yer right. It don't. But yer a pirate. . .yeh aint supposed to be scared o' some island." He told her. "I know." He looked at her. Her eyes were shining with tears that she forced herself to hold in. "Yeh look like yeh could use some rum." He pulled a flask out of his jacket pocket and handed it to her, but she shook her head. "Still refusing to drink rum, eh?" She nodded up at him. "Well, yer loss." He took a long sip. "Ah," He said when he finished. "Rum could cure anythin'" He assumed.  
  
Rowena stood up warily, followed closely by Jack, who put his arm around her shoulder reassuringly. Ragetti lowered the ship's anchor and climbed down the side, beckoning them to follow him. They jumped down off the side after climbing down a bit, and landed in knee deep water. It was freezing cold, and Rowena felt something brush her leg. She jumped and ran out onto the beach, away from whatever had passed her by.  
  
Jack smiled as he walked up to Rowena. "A bit jumpy, aren't we?" He asked her, rustling her hair as he walked past. She followed him closely, bumping into him when he stopped, and stepping on his heels when he walked. He turned to face her. Please, luv. Give me some space, just to walk a little, savvy?" She nodded, and fell back a bit. Ragetti led them into a cave. A dark cave, with shinning walls and no stalagmites or stalactites. Ragetti lit a torch, and Rowena saw that the walls were made of a crystal looking rock. Its shininess almost blinded her as she walked faster to keep up with Jack and Ragetti.  
  
"Here we are." Ragetti said gruffly as they entered a huge section of the cave. The walls were still made of crystal, and sparkled when she looked at them. Jack's crew was standing by the far wall in a line, looking straight ahead at nothing. Jack walked up to them suspiciously. Their eyes were glazed over, dull and sagging like they hadn't had any sleep in months. "Gibbs!" He called out to an older man at the end of the line. The man turned and fixed his eyes on Jack, now they were glowing red.  
  
"Gibbs? What's happened to yeh?" He wondered aloud to his first mate. Gibbs turned back forward and just stared. "Well, that was weird." Jack commented roughly, walking back over to Rowena and Ragetti. "Jus' like I said Jack." Ragetti reminded him. "They aren't themselves anymore." Jack rolled his eyes. "Well that's completely obvious, yeh don't have t' be smart to see that!" Jack said loudly. "No?" Ragetti said mockingly. "But, what's happened to them?" "Ah, I knew yeh'd ask that sometime or another."  
  
Jack scowled again at Ragetti. "Well?" He demanded. "Calm down, calm down. I'll tell yeh. But yeh gotta do sumthin' for me first." "What?" Jack said desperately. "Name yer price." Ragetti smiled dangerously. "Yeh have to give me yer compass." 


	8. Jack's Compass

Chapter 8-Jack's Compass  
  
"Me compass?" Jack gave Ragetti a questioning look. What could Ragetti possibly want with his compass? "Aye, yer compass." Jack thought about it. He saw no prophet in it for Ragetti, and he loved his compass, he'd had it for years. Longer than years. He'd had it for about two decades. "What do yeh want with me compass?" Ragetti considered. "More than yeh will ever know, CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow. Yer compass doesn't point north, am I right?" Jack nodded. "Aye. Well, works just perfect then." He turned to Jack's former crew. "Mates, he's got the compass!" A deafening cheer rose from the crew. Apparently this compass was more than Jack had bargained for.  
  
Much more. But what was so important about it? "Oh, yeh'll find out soon 'nough, mate." Ragetti said. Jack looked around. "Did you hear that?" He asked Rowena. "Hear what?" She said fearfully, moving closer to him. "Ragetti, he said I'd find out about the compass 'nough." She shook her head. "No he didn', Jack." Jack looked at Ragetti puzzled, and Ragetti smiled. "Now, hand over the compass, Jack Sparrow," "Captain Jack Sparrow." Jack corrected him, putting his hand in his pocket and pulling out his compass. But he didn't hand it over. Ragetti scowled.  
  
"Hand it over, Jack!" He pulled out his pistol and aimed it at Jack's head. Jack stood still, his eyes wide, his hand wrapped around his compass defensively. "I'll pull the trigger, and yeh'll be lost to Davy Jones's locker! Is this silly compass worth all that, Jack?" Rowena looked from Jack to Ragetti, and saw Jack smirk. "Yes." He said plainly. Ragetti growled. "And may I ask why, Jack Sparrow?" "Yes, yeh may." Jack was toying with Ragetti's temper. "Why." Ragetti spat at him. "Because, firstly, yeh want it, and I have it. Secondly, Yeh must want it for somthin', and if it's that important, I might as well keep it for meself. And thirdly, I want to find out what's so special 'bout it, savvy? And me name's CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow. Don't forget tha'."  
  
Ragetti finally snapped. He yelled out in rage and pulled the trigger on his pistol. A loud crack rang out through the cave, and Rowena ducked in fright. When the sound stopped echoing, Ragetti expected to see Jack's dead body at his feet, but instead saw him staring smugly into his eyes, a smirk planted on his face. "Looks like someone forgot to load their gun t'day, am I right, Ragetti?" Ragetti worked his eyes into slits and threw down his pistol. "Fine. I'll kill yeh the old fashioned way." He unsheathed his sword.  
  
Jack's eyes widened and he ducked out of the way, pulling out his own sword. Rowena got up, and felt an icy hand wrap around her mouth. She tried to scream, breath, do anything, but the hand was holding her back. She tried to push it away, but the force was too strong. Finally she thought of something. She bit down on the hand, hard, but nothing happened. Her teeth clenched together painfully, causing her to yell out. Jack heard her, and turned.  
  
He saw Gibbs, his hand wrapped around Rowena's mouth, slowly turning from mist to solid. It was really creepy. And it was just Gibbs' hand, too. Not his whole body. When his hand finally truned all solid, he started pulling Rowena towards him. "Gibbs, what's in yer head?" Gibbs didn't even look up. "Gibbs, let 'er go!" But Gibbs paid no attention. Ragetti lunged his sword at Jack, but Jack held out his open compass. He didn't know why, he just held it out. Ragetti screamed as his sword broke neatly into to pieces, and fell to the ground. Jack stared in awe, then smiled.  
  
But he didn't have time to stare. When he looked back, Rowena was gone, and Gibbs was standing in line as if nothing had happened. This time when he stared, it was a puzzled glance instead of an interested one. Jack ran up to the line of dead looking people and prodded Gibbs hard in the stomach. "What did yeh do with her?" He asked fiercely. Gibbs eyes started to glow red, and he reached out and grabbed Jack's wrist, holding on tight. "OW!" Jack yelled, struggling to get his wrist free. But the more he struggled, the tighter Gibbs held on. Jack looked down. His arm was starting to look gray and lifeless. "Weird." He muttered, then blacked out.  
  
A/n: Sorry if this made Jack look helpless and stuff, but I know where this is going and he's not, ok? 


	9. Transparent

A/n: Thanx to all my reviewers. Special thanx to Halliwell, who reviewed my story more than anyone else. Huggles*  
  
Chapter 9-Transparent  
  
Rowena screamed. No one turned to look at her, not even a glance in her direction. She saw Jack's arm, just his arm, solid in front of her. Then his whole body. He was unconscious, but he didn't look it. Besides having his eyes closed, he didn't look unwell. His face was still tanned, as always, but that smirk had left his face. She shook him. "Jack!" She yelled. He didn't stir. She looked up. She saw Ragetti, almost transparent behind a liquid looking shield, holding Jack's compass. He said something, but she couldn't hear him. Neither could he hear her.  
  
She screamed. Jack's compass meant something. . .she knew it did. She shook him again. He stirred a bit this time. "Rowan?" He whispered. She nodded. "I. . ." He trailed off. "Shhh." She shushed him softly and made him sit up. "Jack, they've got yer compass." Jack jerked awake. "Got me compass!?" She nodded solemnly. "What-how-when-how did Ragetti get at it?" He mumbled. "Knocked yeh out." She whispered. Now it was Jack's turn to nod.  
  
"So. . .where are we, luv?" Rowena shook her head. "We're in. . .some kinda space, with a barrier 'tween us and Ragetti." Jack gave her a questioning glance. "I know it sounds crazy, Jack, but look for yerself!" Jack looked around. She was telling the truth. They were lying on the ground, a watery barrier in front of them, and endless space behind them. "Well, sine I don' really know what t' do, d'you suppose we should jus' sit here and watch Ragetti ran on 'bout somethin', or should we go an' explore what lies further in this. . .space." He tried to sound sure of himself amidst the worry and confusion. "I say we go an' explore!" She shouted, running ahead of Jack, into the darkness. She pulled out her compass. She didn't really know why, but it was just a reflex. When she went exploring, her compass always came along.  
  
Rowena opened it slowly and stared, the needle, which usually never moved, was spinning uncontrollably fast in circles. She stopped dead in her tracks, Jack knocking into her from behind. "Wha's wrong luv?" He asked, looking over her shoulder. He saw what she was staring at and stood stark still. "Wha's happening to it, luv?" He whispered. She shook her head. She hadn't the faintest clue, to tell the truth.  
  
Just then they heard Ragetti's harsh voice form behind them. "Come here, Captain Maynard! It looks like yeh have somethin' I want!" Jack looked over at Rowena. Her eyes were wide, but not staring at the compass anymore. They were focused on the direction they had heard Ragetti's voice come from. "Run!" Jack yelled to her. She didn't need telling twice. Rowena ran as fast as her legs would carry her in the other direction. When she was completely winded and in the dark of the cave, she stopped to rest.  
  
She hid in a crevice just big enough for her, and didn't hear any footsteps. Just then a light flickered in the corner of her eye. She turned and saw Ragetti coming to her, a mean glint in his eyes. "Give yer compass to me, Rowena!" He yelled. He was no longer keeping his temper under control. He was flaming mad, and headed right at her! She closed her eyes, and didn't hear a sound. Cautiously, she opened her eyes and saw Ragetti's face, inches form hers.  
  
"Hand it over, luv." She sucked in a sharp breath and poked her fingers in his eyes. He screamed, and she took her only chance to get away. She didn't get far when Ragetti recovered and chased after her. Suddenly she felt herself being picked up into the air. It was a strange feeling, like flying almost, but much less enjoyable. Suddenly she felt sick. Very sick. She tilted her head down and threw up. "Ugh." Well, that wasn't very pleasant.  
  
She felt like passing out, but didn't. Somehting was keeping her awake. Then she heard Ragetti's voice in her head. "Hand over the compass, or Jack gets it." He sounded like he wasn't lying. "It's a trap." She told her self. "Rowena!" She heard Jack's call. "Oh no missy, it's not a trap. Yeh heard Jack. He's on the edge of life and death. And yer his only hope. Don' be shy know, give Ragetti yer compass. "No!" She shouted. Then all blackness.  
  
But she wasn't unconscious. She could see the black, and her eyes were wide open. She was falling into a ditch, and everything was silent around her.  
  
A/n: sorry if the story is too slow paced, but I'm writing this as I go along, so I have to figure out the plot. 


	10. Rock Bottom

Here are a few notes to my faithful reviewers:  
  
jackfan2-I'm trying my hardest to end every chapter in cliffhangers, so watch out! I'm not giving you a break.ever!! Mwahahahahaha!!!  
  
halliwell-thanx for all the nice reviews. . .they help me write more if I know that people like my stories. I am going to continue the cliffhangers so I'm sorry if you don't like them.  
  
pirategurl85-Thanx for reviewing my story after I reviewed yours. What else can I say? Thanx again!  
  
becc-gallanter-thanx for being my friend! Oh, and thanx fro reviewing my story. I know you appreciate me. Thanx.  
  
To all my anonymous reviewers: Thanx a million for reviewing my story even though I can't put you all down here. It means a lot to me.  
  
And thanx to Broadwaystar77, who I know will review my story a million times in the near future. And when she does. . .ignore this message because she already did. Huggles*  
  
Chapter 10-Rock Bottom  
  
Rowena hit the ground with a thud. Her head was spinning, and all the blood was rushing to her head. She sat up wearily and looked around. She couldn't see a thing; everything around her was pitch black. She had hit rock bottom, wherever that was. Then she remembered everything. Jack on the edge of life and death, his only hope was her, Ragetti wanting her compass. She couldn't fit it all together, and now Jack was most likely going to die, because of her. How could she give Ragetti her compass if she was lying in a ditch? She tilted her head upwards and cried out. The ditch was very deep. How would she get out of this one. She had solved life threatening puzzles, and climbed walls and such before, but now she couldn't see what she had to do.  
  
She pulled out her compass. She hadn't the faintest idea of why, but still she pulled it out all the same. It glowed when she opened it. "Weird." She thought aloud. The needle was still spinning, and she saw Jack's face float around in her mind. What would Ragetti to do him? Would he still be alive when, or if she got out of this? Then she heard Jack's voice in her head. "Rowan, don't give Ragetti yer compass, even if he kills me, don't do it!" She felt like yelling back to him but she knew she couldn't. Ragetti was going to kill Jack, and she couldn't do anything about it.  
  
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Ragetti turned from where he had dropped Rowena into the pit and faced Jack. He scowled. "Jack, yer next." He said, clearly hinting that Rowena was dead. But Jack knew that she wasn't. Jack knew because he felt her living. They had a connection through something, and he thought that the compasses had something to do with it. "She took her compass to Davy Jones' locker, and so will you!" He threw Jack his compass. Jack just smiled. He knew she wasn't dead, but he was in no hurry to expose that fact to Ragetti.  
  
"Are yeh ready, Jack?" He nodded. "Aye, I'd like to watch yeh try an' kill me jus' like tha'." He teased, snapping his fingers at the word that. Ragetti seamed unbothered, obviously pleased that he would get to kill Jack Sparrow in the near future. Ragetti pulled out his pistol, and loaded it carefully, building up the tension every second. He finished and pointed the pistol at Jack. Ragetti started counting. "One. . .two. . ." "Three!" Jack yelled, and ducked out of the way, somersaulting three times in the other direction. He threw his compass at Anamaria, and it slid through her to the other side of the liquid barrier. "Arg!" Ragetti shouted, and lunged at Jack. Jack pulled out his sword, stuck it into Ragetti, and pushed him up against the wall. Now Ragetti was stuck in the wall.  
  
Jack ran towards Gibbs, but knocked into him. "What the-" He stepped back. "Jack, you idiot." Ragetti snarled. "You need yer compass to get to the other side. Tha's why I wanted it. . .I thought you would have figured that out by now." "Ah," Jack realized he was now stuck with Ragetti, away from Rowena, and without an escape route. Ragetti tugged at the sword stuck in him. It came out form the wall easily. "I need Will to show me some of his tricks," Jack muttered, trying to think of a plan. He heard Ragetti laughing, and turned to see a sword flying in his direction. 


	11. Life and Death

A/n: Still waiting for a million reviews from broadwaystar77-but no rush.take yer time. Thanx to jackfan2 for reviewing again.yes I'm keeping my word about cliffies.  
  
Chapter 11-Life and Death  
  
"Ah!" Jack yelled, and caught the sword by the tip, cutting his hand. Ragetti growled. "Why are yeh doin' this Jack?" "Doin' what?" Jack asked innocently. "Strugglin'." "Strugglin'?" He mused. "Aye. Strugglin'." Jack shrugged. Now he had a plan. "Listen. We have to strike up a bargain. What say you tell me what's so special 'bout me compass, and I'll give it to yeh." Ragetti thought about it, then smirked. "How would yeh give it to me, Jack? It's behind the barrier, and neither of us can get to it?" Jack hadn't thought of that. "I don't know." Ragetti's smirk grew wider. "Ah, yeh don't know. How very sad. Well, yeh know what they say about people who don't know." Jack shook his head. "Kill 'em!" Ragetti shouted, laughing maniacally. Jack raised his eyebrows. "I've never heard tha'." He mumbled.  
  
"Take 'im away!" Ragetti ordered, motioning to Jack's crew. Gibbs and Anamaria stepped forward and grabbed Jack, carrying him off. "Ragetti, you bastard! I offered you the compass!" He yelled. Now he was going to die, and it was his stupidity that got him there. "Arg. Say what yeh will, Jack. I couldn't care less." Ragetti walked towards the liquid barrier and stepped through easily. Jack sucked in a tight breath. Ragetti had been lying. Now he would get Jack's compass, and kill Jack. His two main goals. Of course that still left Rowena, if she was even alive.  
  
Jack felt stupid and worthless. But he didn't shed a tear. The last time he had cried was when he was a child. He wasn't about to break his record. He thought about it, and concluded that this was a very good reason to grieve, but held it all in. Gibbs and Anamaria tightened their grip on him as they walked further into the cave. They threw him in a small closed off section of the cave, without a lantern. It was pitch black. "Come back! " Jack yelled. But he soon gave up. Nothing he could do would save him now. He might as well sit there and wait for death to come. Then he realized something. The barrier. . .death. . .the barrier between life and death! He gasped. So that's what Ragetti meant by saying that Rowena was dead!  
  
He still hadn't the faintest clue of what his compass had to do with it, because HE wasn't dead, well not yet, but still. . .  
  
His hand was bleeding heavier now, and his head still throbbed. Jack wondered how Rowena was doing. Was she still alive? Well, not technically, but she wasn't dead as in, not moving a muscle forever -dead. And, what about her compass. . .his compass? Both of them were involved in this mystery, and if Jack got out of this alive, he was going to solve it with her.  
  
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Rowena sat in the darkness, still thinking about Jack. Was he ok? Was he alive? And what about his compass? She was starting to feel light headed, and wondered if SHE would be ok herself. She pulled out her compass again. It was still glowing and spinning annoyingly. She had had it with that compass. She threw it into the darkness; it lit up the wall as it crashed. But it didn't break. Instead, it glowed brighter, and spun faster. She yelled at it. 'Now I must be mad.' She thought to herself. She didn't care about what was happening to her anymore, because she knew she had failed.  
  
Rowena sighed. Would she just sit here until she died? Would she get out, or rot into a skeleton here and someone would find her in a million years. And what would happen to Scarlet? She was on the edge of life and death too. All in all, none of them were in very good positions at the moment. Then a thought came to her. A thought about life and death. . . 


	12. Ragetti's story

Chapter 12-Ragetti's Story  
  
Ragetti picked up Jack's compass and smiled at it. Now all he needed was the other one. That girl, he had sent her down into a black pit, so how would he get her compass? He needed both of them, or this one would never stop spinning or glowing. "Death." He muttered. He hated these compasses, but still he wanted them. They could detect death. If the person who held it was dead, which hardly ever happened, then it would spin and light up. Ragetti snarled at it. Had it been stupid to steal the Aztec treasure again, after that twit Barbossa was through with it?  
  
"Not at all." He growled to himself. Otherwise, he would never have been able to get the compasses. Jack and Rowena surely would've killed him first. When he finally got both of the compasses, he would return the last piece of treasure and be off with them. The compasses held yet another secret. A pirate's secret. More of a legend among some, but a truth among others.  
  
If held in hands undead, the compass leads. It doesn't point north, but that's the key. It only works when you're not trying to find north. Take Isla de Muerta; for instance, when you look for it, you aren't trying to find North are you? No, you're trying to find Isla de Muerta.  
  
Ragetti pocketed the compass. He was sure he would need it later, when he got the girl's. When he was alive again, he would be able to find all of the lost islands, the one's he'd heard about in stories from when he was younger. It was a childish dream, but no so childish when he thought of the reward. Treasure to no end, filling caves and ditches and scattered all over the beaches. He would be rich.  
  
But that still wasn't the only reason why he wanted them so badly. They held secrets of the past. Forgotten secrets of pirates that once sailed these waters. Supposedly, the compasses held the meaning of a pirate's life, hidden inside. The key was how to get to it. But Ragetti had yet to figure it out. And when he did, the world would change.  
  
A/n: sorry this chapter is so short, it's just that this wasn't really a chapter, more like an explanation of why the compasses mean so much, savvy? So, sorry again, longer chapter next time. 


	13. Thoughts of Insanity

* *Just a quick a/n before we start: I don't know if I said this already, but thanx to BroadwayStar77 for all her reviews! Huggles* Thanx to Halliwell, Jackfan2, and becc-gallanter also. And to all my anon. Reviewers. Luv ya guys! Now, to the story * *  
  
Chapter 13-Thoughts of Insanity  
  
A thought about life and death. . .  
  
Rowena kept running over the thoughts in her mind, and every time they made less sense. But every time one thing was always clear. The liquid barrier had to be some kind of gate between life and death. Nothing else made sense at the moment. She got up and picked up her compass, which started to glow and spin more when she held it. She had to figure out what that meant. Suddenly Ragetti's voice boomed in her head. "It means yer dead, LUV. As dead as the skeleton's yer standin' on, and as dead as Jack will be in a short time." She jumped.  
  
Then looked down. It was true, as her eyes adjusted to the new darkness, she saw fragments of bones lying under her feet. Then she saw a skull. It had a sword sticking out of it, and a few locks of hair still left on its head. It was a revolting site, enough to make anyone shudder. "Aye. See that? It's what yer dear friend Jack will look like in a short time, luv." Ragetti's whispered in her mind.  
  
She looked down at her feet. Or, what she could make out of them in the darkness. They looked solid, alive like. She felt her face. That felt solid and living too. She breathed. Dead people didn't breath. She didn't feel dead, so what could Ragetti mean by, 'it means yer dead'? "I meant what I said, yer as dead as those skeletons, as dead as me, and as dead as Jack's crew will ever be." This puzzled her even more. Ragetti was the living dead. . .Jack was GOING to die. . .and Jacks crew. . .  
  
Were they dead already? Were they the living dead? It was hard to tell, but whatever it was, it had something to do with the cursed Aztec gold, the liquid gate, and her compass. "Ah, catchin' on now I see. Faster than old Jack I'm afraid. He's a bloomin' idiot!" Ragetti laughed loudly. She shook her head. She desperately wanted Ragetti to stop talking to her that way. . .in her mind. She was going to go mad before she even TRIED to solve this puzzle, and then she'd die for sure, if she wasn't dead already, that is.  
  
"That's my goal, luv." He said to her. Then she had a thought. What if she used Ragetti's talent against him? If she could, she would be able to talk to him with HER mind, and he would go mad too, or at least more mad than he already was, if that was possible. "So, trying to drive me mad, eh?" She thought, trying to direct her thoughts at Ragetti, imagining him going mad. She heard him stop laughing. "What the-" He started, then contained himself. "That's a nice trick luv, but yeh can't drive me mad. Are yeh forgettin' already? I AM the one who uses Telepathy; therefore I can't drive myself mad, now can I?  
  
She thought about that one, fully aware that Ragetti could hear her every thought. Finally she heard Ragetti sigh in frustration. "You are dimwitted, aren't you? Well, let me tell yeh." She settled down on the floor and listened as Ragetti spoke. This was exactly what she wanted. She wanted him to get so annoyed with her that he would spill all his knowledge out to her, then she would be able to solve all of this. With or without Jack's help. "You are on the death side of the barrier, I'm sure you've noticed. Anyone who crosses to this side is dead. Not that they know it, but if you stay on this side too long, yeh turn into a zombie-like thing. Take Jack's crew for instance. That's what yeh'll look like in no time at all, yeh get it?"  
  
Rowena gasped. She was dead! "And yer compass glows when it's 'round the dead. Spins too." He finished. So that explained the annoying spinning and glowing, but that still didn't explain anything about Jack. "Jack is on this side with yeh. He's just. . .tied up. . .at the moment." Ragetti paused, and Rowena could almost feel him smile. "Let me show yeh." Suddenly, and against her will, images started to fill her mind. Images of Jack being wasted away to nothing, of him bleeding to death, or just sitting there until he killed himself. It was too terrible to watch. Rowena shut her eyes quickly, but that only made the images more vivid.  
  
"Stop!" She screamed. Instantly the images were sucked from her mind, leaving her more tired and confused than before. "Ah, too much suffering for poor Captain Maynard to watch, is it then?" "Well, I'll show yeh what's really going to happen to the infamous Jack Sparrow."  
  
A/n: sorry, a short chapter again, I know. I'll try to make the next one longer. Love, Sandra/Rachel/me/retard-well, not really, my bffls will know what I mean. 


	14. Jack's Fate

Chapter 14-Jack's Fate  
  
Jack opened his eyes groggily. He had taken a quick nap to save his energy. Suddenly he realized that he was sitting in darkness. Jack pulled out his compass. It was glowing and spinning very fast and bright. Why was it doing that? "Because yer dead, Jack." Ragetti's voice sounded inside his ears, making him jump at the sound. "I wish you'd stop that." Jack said aloud to no one. But Ragetti heard him. "Aye. Now, did yeh hear me?" "Yes, yes." Jack grumbled. "And yer bloody mad, by the way." Jack felt Ragetti smile. "Am I, Jack? Or are yeh the one tha's goin' mad?" Jack shrugged. "It's very possible. . ." Jack felt Ragetti scowl. He grinned. This was what he loved doing best. Annoying the bloody hell out of people, especially his enemies.  
  
Most of them got so annoyed that they just left him alone. But not without a good sword fight first. Ragetti and Jack had already done that plenty of times, and it was no use anyway, because Ragetti couldn't die even if he tried. Now all that was left to do was annoy the hell out of Ragetti, and then his work would be complete.  
  
"Ah, the old 'annoy yer enemies' trick. Supposedly yeh are quite good at tha', am I right captain Sparrow?" Jack nodded, and laughed silently. "Yeah, I s'pose I am." He felt Ragetti smile again. "Well, It won't work." Jack raised his eyebrows subconsciously. "I don't know about tha', mate. I seemed to be doing pretty well from how I'm seein' it." Ragetti snarled. "Well, then yeh must be blind." Jack nodded. "That's entirely possible as well. . ." then he grinned. Despite what Ragetti might say, Jack knew that he was getting on his nerves.  
  
Suddenly Jack felt a strong arm grab him from his jacket and pull him away from his spot. All at once he was standing in front of Ragetti, Compass no longer spinning or glowing. Jack stared down at it. "So is this to say that I'm not dead no more, am I?" He pondered to Ragetti, who tried to snatch the compass away. "Yes, Jack, yeh bloomin' idiot. Yeh crossed to the other side o' the barrier, savvy?" Jack made a gesture with his hands. "Whoa. Let's make one thing clear, mate. Savvy is MY word, savvy? I'd greatly appreciate it if yeh didn't start usin' me habits, mate. They is mine, after all." He smirked as he saw Ragetti turn red.  
  
"Shut up." Ragetti snarled, pointing his sword at Jack. "Whoa, let's not go there mate." Jack said, pushing down the sword with the edge of his hand. "Jack. I'll say it one last time afore I kill yeh. Hand. Over. The. Compass." Jack shook his head and tut- tuted Ragetti. "Fine." Ragetti growled. "Then open it for me." Jack looked puzzled, but opened the compass. It was the same as always, broken and water-filled.  
  
"All yeh wanted t' see was the inside of me bloody compass? Well why didn't yeh say so mate? I could've let yeh do that no trouble at al!" Ragetti rolled his eyes. Unscrew the bottom, Jack. And please stop yer gibbering." Jack finally and begrudgingly obliged. He slowly turned the bottom of the compass toward him three times, and the bottom fell off and shattered onto the stone floor. Jack turned it over and stared. He looked from his compass to Ragetti, then back to his compass. "How did you find out about tha'?" He asked, astonished. Ragetti just smirked.  
  
"What does the paper in the bottom say, Jack. Or can you even read?" Ragetti sniggered at his joke. "Aye. I can, yeh know." Jack pulled out the papers and unfolded them. As he read, his eyes grew wide in astonishment. "Bloody hell." He whispered. "What?" Ragetti was growing impatient. "Mary mother of god." "WHAT?!" Jack looked up from the parchment. "I'm not alone." Jack said plainly. "Now what in god's name is THAT supposed to mean?" Ragetti said, making another attempt to grab the compass.  
  
"Listen, Mate. Afore we get all violent about this, let's say we strike up a bargain? If yeh give me back Rowena, I'll give yeh me compass. No swords or pistols aloud. Yeh'll get what yeh wanted, and yeh can do what yeh want with us." Jack finished shortly. Ragetti thought about this. "No swords, daggers, pistols, revolvers, nothin'?" Jack shook his head. "Not unless yeh want it t' be bloody." Ragetti smiled. "Do yeh think me mad?" He asked. "No more than usual." Jack replied.  
  
Ragetti thought again about what he would be doing. Getting the compass, returning the treasure, being rich until his dying day. It all sounded fantastic. AND, as a bonus, he'd get to kill Jack and Rowena. What luck. But why was Jack freely offering himself, AND the girl? Did he know something that Ragetti didn't? Impossible, he could read Jack's mind. No one could hide anything form Ragetti. Or could they? "Deal." Ragetti said without wanting to ponder any further.  
  
Jack smirked. He had a plan. But he wouldn't think about it, no. Ragetti would find out quicker than you can say 'savvy'.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Rowena suddenly felt a tug at her jacket. She was being pulled out of the pit, and being flown through the air to god knows where. She landed with a thud next to Jack, in a well-lit section of the cave. It took a minute for her eyes to adjust to the light, and when they did she saw Ragetti standing over her, grinning widely. "Ragetti, you idiot." Jacked mimicked Ragetti's way of speech. Then he ducked down into a smaller portion of the cave and pulled out the chest of cursed Aztec treasure. "What the-" Ragetti started, but he had no time. Jack quickly drew his sword and cut Ragetti's wrist. He dropped the last piece in the chest and plunged his sword into Ragetti's stomach.  
  
It only took, seconds, but the curse was over and Ragetti was dying. Jack pocketed his compass and Rowena did the same, noticing that it no longer spun or glowed. "Come on, love. Lets go." He took her hand. He wasn't going to tell her the secret yet. He was going to wait until the opportune moment. . . 


	15. The Opportune Moment

Chapter 15-The Opportune Moment  
  
A/n: sorry if anyone has taken this chapter name already, I know it's common and famous.  
  
Rowena drew in a sharp breath as Jack led her through the cave's twisted pathways. When they were finally out, Jack breathed in deep the smell of the sea. "Ah, back home." He sighed, but didn't let go of Rowena's hand. She sighed too, not knowing what she was sighing about. They climbed aboard the Bloody Mary and set sail for Tortuga, in hopes of returning Rowena to her ship.  
  
It was nighttime, and the moon was full. Jack left his post to go sit with Rowena in her cabin. "Jack." She whispered. "Aye." He said, completely aware of the fear in her voice. "Ragetti's dead for good, right?" Jack nodded. "Dear god I hope so." He joked. Then he put his arm around her. 'It's just a friendly gesture of comfort', Rowena reminded herself shakily. Jack didn't remove his arm, so she rested her head nervously on his shoulder.  
  
"Fellin' better luv?" He asked her. She nodded. Then she did something she would never do. She brought her face closer to Jack's. Their lips were about to meet, when Jack pulled away. "As much as I love kisses, and I do, I don' think this is the best idea, love." She frowned. Didn't he love romance? "Why not?" She asked. She tried not to sound hurt, and wondered if it was working. Jack worked his face into a smile. "See, I've got somethin' to tell yeh." She looked expectantly at him. He decided that this was the opportune moment.  
  
"Luv, yer my sister."  
  
She stared at him, almost falling off her bed. "What?" Jack's face softened. "I know it's hard to believe, luv, but look. I've got proof." He pulled his compass out of his pocket and unfolded the paper that went with it. She read, her eyes growing wider by the minute. "Jack Sparrow," She finished. "Relations. Mother: Lenore Maynard, Father: Jacob Sparrow, Sister: Rowena Maynard-Sparrow. No further relations were accounted for."  
  
She put down the letter and looked up at Jack. "So, yer my brother?" She pulled out her own compass. Balled up inside the bottom was a slip of paper with the same readouts, only descriptions that fit her instead of Jack. Her height at birth, weight at birth, and DoB. And of course her relations, Jack included. She dropped her compass to the floor and hugged Jack.  
  
Jack looked around uncomfortably and pulled Rowena from him.  
"Luv, breathing  
  
room, member?" She blushed. "Now, to Tortuga." Jack yelled, and walked back to his place at the steer. Rowena stared after him in silence. Jack, her brother. So that's the connection she had felt between them. The only man she was ever drawn to was her brother. She closed the door to her cabin and tried to get some sleep. Something she knew was impossible.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * the next day * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
At dawn, the Bloody Mary pulled into Tortuga. Jack woke up Rowena, who turned in her bed groggily and muttered, "Not today, Jack." "Yes, today, Rowena. We're home." She sat up quickly. "What do yeh mean, we're home?" Jack smiled. Luv, we were born in Tortuga." He held more papers under her nose. The two of them walked onto the streets of Tortuga, swaggering at the same pace. A lot was still to be figured out about the two. Rowena wondered why she never knew he was her sibling, and why hadn't she met him before Singapore?  
  
Jack was wondering how the hell he got his compass 20 years ago, when he was about fifteen, If it had been his since he was born. They found The Dark Jewel still in Port, unharmed or touched. Jack helped Rowena on to it and whispered, "Yeh'll be alright be yerself, won't yeh luv?" She nodded, unsure if yes was the right answer. "How will I know if yer safe? If yeh aren't dead? If yeh-" Jack put his Hand to her mouth. He walked off her ship and down to the Bloody Mary, his new ship. He steered it away from Tortuga, he'd rather pick upo a crew in somewhere foreign anyway.  
  
Jack turned to see Rowena's boat leaving Port as well. He thought about her question. Then he came up with the perfect answer, and the only one that made sense. He waved for her to see him. When she looked, he held up his compass and yelled. . .  
  
"Look to the North, luv, Look to the North!" 


	16. Authors Note: Please Read

Authors Note:  
  
I wanted to make a few things clear before I end my story completely. I am sorry that a few things were unclear, and I have a lot of spelling and punctuation mistakes. I was writing this plotline as I went, so it was hard to remember all the secrets and mysteries that I had to solve. Please excuse the unanswered questions, or answer them yourself. I have to say something else: I read this story, Broken Sword, the other day, and realized that no matter how hard I tried, my story was almost the same as the that one. If the author of "Broken Sword" reads this by any chance, e-mail me if you want me to remove this story from fan fiction. I will understand, though it will be hard to erase my work. Anyways, now on to thank yous. Thanks to jackfan2, BroadwayStar77, halliwell, becc-gallanter, pirategurl85, and szhismine, Julie Moran, and Miss Caribbean. Huggles* And guys, I'm taking a poll: all in favor of me writing a sequel review and tell me. All in favor of me keeping it this way, review and tell me. All in favor of liking my story at all review every chapter and tell me, or just the end. Thanks, ya know I luv ya guys!  
  
Your Deranged Authoress,  
Me. 


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